We fielded enough phone calls regarding these pads until we finally woke up to the reality that we needed them! Users were unanimous in their praise for Pagid's incredible stopping power, consistency, long pad life and lack of serious dust or squeal. When you add up all their qualities, they may be the biggest bargain in braking. Ask anyone who has tried them and you'll be eager to try a set.

PAGID Race Pad Fitting InstructionsThe new brake pads must move freely in their guides. If necessary remove paint from the contact faces. Delayed release and taper wear can occur if pads do not have enough clearance.

The outer radius of the friction material must align with the brake disc’s outer radius. Especially with custom made uprights (knuckles) or custom made caliper mounting brackets very often pads do not align properly with the brake disc. It is advisable to place a note at the steering wheel to let the driver know new pads had been installed.

Never lay hot pads up side down i.e. with the friction material onto the ground unless you throw them away anyway. Asphalt, rubber, oil etc. can melt into the friction material. PAGID Racing Brake Pad BeddingSee brake pad bedding procedure

If pads do not get bedded properly and / or used to hard right out of the box will likely lead to pad glazing. Pad glazing is a condition where the resins in the pad crystallize on both, the pad friction surface and the brake disc surface, resulting in poor stopping performance, brake judder and vibrations.

Also rapidly escaping volatile elements and moisture from the resin would seek an immediate escape route out of the friction compound, creating small fissures that would lead shortly to cracking and chunking.Heat Cracks in Racing Brake Pads and DiscsMultiple small heat cracks (hairline cracks) are normal and accepted for this type of use. Heat cracks on brake discs must not reach to the outer or inner edge of the disc.

Racing Brake Pads and HumidityWhen washing the car we recommend removing race brake pads or driving the car after washing and apply the brakes a few times in order to dry the brake pads. Water and even humidity of the air can slightly alter the friction behavior of racing brake pads. Some pro race teams use “storage” or “transport” pads and store the real race pads in a Zip-Lock bag until their next race.

Avoiding Brake Judder During bedding and shortly after, some judder is quite normal but should disappear after 5 to 10 laps. Changing back and forth between two incompatible friction materials (e.g. racing brake pads of different brands or street pads) can cause uneven build-up of pad material on the disc surface and can consequently lead to brake judder. Judder is the result of a thickness variation in pad buildup on the disc surface. Brake judder can be from a barely noticeable vibration to a violent judder. When you install Pagid race pads on top of a layer of an incompatible pad material, bedding might take much longer or in worst case won't work at all. It can also result in sub-optimal brake performance.

Another reason for uneven pad transfer is called 'imprinting'. After coming to a complete stop with hot brakes (in the pits or after a spin), do not keep your foot on the brake pedal. The hot pads can leave a deposit behind that in turn again can cause judder and vibrations.

Bigger vs Smaller PadA larger friction surface will not improve stopping power. The amount of pressure applied, coefficient of friction and the disc diameter determine stopping force. A bigger pad does not apply more pressure, only the same pressure over a bigger area. The size of the pad matters in terms of heat capacity and wear rate. A larger pad will absorb more initial heat and has better wear characteristics.Pad Fade vs Brake Fluid Fade1.) pad fadeWhen the temperature at the interface between the pad and the disc exceeds the thermal capacity of the pad, the pad loses friction capability mainly due to out-gassing of binder (matrix) materials in the pad compound. The brake pedal remains firm and solid but the car will not stop no matter how hard you push on the pedal. The first indication is a distinctive smell, a signal to back off. Solutions: better cooling, higher mass brake discs size and vane configuration or higher heat range pad compound.

2.) fluid fadeBoiling brake fluid develops gas bubbles in the calipers. The brake pedal becomes soft and pedal travel increases (because gas is compressible). One can still stop the car by pumping the pedal but efficient modulation is gone. This is a gradual process with advanced warning. The damaged fluid must be completely replaced. Correcting the problem is improved cooling and / or may only require new or higher grade racing brake fluid. The importance of keeping fresh brake fluid in the system and regular bleeding (before every session) cannot be overstressed. Back to Top

Watch The Temps!It is highly recommended that brake temperatures are being monitored. Three temperature brake paints or similar products should be used. Ideally, the green paint (430°C / 806°F) should be completely oxidized (turns white), the orange paint (560°C / 1040°F) should be symmetrically beginning to oxidize and the red paint (610°C / 1130°F) should be un-touched or change only slightly. Caliper temperatures can be monitored with temperature strips.Checking the temperatures in the pit lane with a thermometer is a good way to oversee brake bias.

Features

Pagid "S" or "Sport" - This is a high performance compound with good fading characteristics and high cold friction. The most comfortable medium friction sport compound. The Sport Pad is street legal, rotor friendly and OE on various Ferraris and Corvettes. PAGID "S" Brake Pads are dipped in a anti-corrosion blue paint, with a layer also on the friction surface. This paint coating will disintegrate during the first braking applications without any loss of friction compared to our other non-coated compounds. In addition a majority of the "S" Line come with anti-noise shims. The "S" compound is the PAGID RS 4-2-1.

RS-14-Black - This is a high friction value ceramic compound with very good modulation, high fade resistance, low heat conductivity, and a good wear rate up to a constant temperature of 650 degrees Celsius (1202 degrees Fahrenheit). It is kind on discs, (with visible grooving, but no tendency to crack discs). Applications: Super Touring, WSC, Trans Am, and Rallye.

RS-15 Gray - Very high torque compound. It combines a 20% higher friction value than the RS14 with a slightly increased pad wear. Needs finesse to avoid over braking the car. Good release characteristic. Although the RS15 has a very good modulation (controllability) it might have an excessive bite for some applications, as lightweight cars or cars with boosted brakes.

RS-19 Yellow - Best compound for endurance racing on the basis of the RS 14. A slight reduction of the friction value improves the modulation (controllability). Nevertheless, the friction value is enough for cars without power-assisted brake system and ensures comfortable low effort on the brake pedal. Constant temperatures up to 600°C (1.100°F) are possible. The combination of friction value, fading stability and low wear rates on pads and discs (rotors) realized with this pad compound is unmatched up to now. Due to its outstanding wear rate and driveability PAGID endurance materials are often used at sprint races as well. A multiple winner of Daytona 24h, Le Mans 24h, Sebring 12h, Spa 24 h, Nürburgring 24h, often with no pad change and usually no disc (rotor) change.

RS-29 Yellow - New endurance compound. This compound combines the outstanding wear rate of the RS19 with a slightly higher coefficient of friction and initial bite. Due to its outstanding wear rate and driveability PAGID endurance materials are often used at sprint races as well.

RS-44-Orange - This compound has a very good fade resistance and a higher average friction value than the RS 4-2. It is rotor friendly with a very foreseeable non-aggressive friction behavior (stable torque). It is a very good rear compound for Touring Car applications in combination with RS 14 front pads. It’s main application is Porsche 911 racing. It is used on either Short Track or Long Distance; also for front and rear axles.